Monday, March 03, 2008

Can I get a High Five?

There are certain magazines I need to have in my home at any given time - People, Real Simple, and Martha Stewart Living (not that I'll ever be Martha-ish but I dare to dream) are a few examples. I'll bring in the occasional gossip rag like US magazine too, but none of these are the types of reading materials I want my impressionable almost three year old to pick up and thumb through. Though she has, on more than one occasion.

"Who is that funny looking girl, Mama?"

"That's Paris Hilton, honey. Never, ever end up like her, okay?"

Now my little Chicky has a magazine of her own to read and I never have to worry about her seeing pictures of nearly naked 20-somethings passed out after a night of binge drinking. Unless we go visit my cousins.Highlights magazine, in cooperation with the Parent Bloggers Network, sent us three copies of their newly launched magazine specifically designed for kids age 2-6 years old - High Five - and it was a HUGE hit.

When we received them my daughter and I sat down with the three issues and I don't think we read them less than four times each in that sitting. The "Find the hidden pictures" page was instantly Chicky's favorite. I was thrilled because it was more interactive and more of a learning experience than just sitting and listening to the same board book over and over again.

The stories in High Five are accompanied with brightly colored artwork that really catches my daughter's attention and prompts her to ask questions or draw her own conclusions about the story. And some of them are written in English and Spanish so we're both learning a new language!

There are also suggestions for activities to accompany some of the stories in each edition. Which is great for a mom like me (read: In desperate need of suggestions to keep my kid interested in keeping busy and away from the television).

I loved Highlights magazine when I was a kid so I'm thrilled with how quickly my daughter took to High Five. And I'm really looking forward to seeing her face when she realizes something came in the mail just for her. What a treat!...

(...Wrapped up in something educational. Shhh, don't tell the kids. They just think they're having fun.)

I will without a doubt be recommending High Five to my girlfriends with kids my daughters age. At just under $30 for a one year subscription it's well worth the price.